[thstone]

Any 12-yr old car with 144,000 miles is going to need some repairs at some point and if you don't want to deal with repairs then an older, high mileage car might not be the right car.

The most important thing to do is to have a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) done by an experienced Porsche mechanic (independent or dealer). They will know what to look for and can advise you on deferred repairs and past due maintenance.

The price of buying a Boxster might be reasonably inexpensive but you need to be ready for the cost of maintenance and repairs especially when buying a high mileage car. A set of tires runs $700-$1,200 and the rears will need to be replaced again in 12,000 miles (almost yearly if the car is your daily driver). A new clutch is $2,000. A new starter is $750 installed. About the same for an alternator. DIY oil changes are every 3,000-5,000 miles using 9-10 quarts of $8 per quart synthetic oil + filter = $100. The major service (every 60,000 miles) is $1,200 at the dealer, $800 at an independent shop, and $400 to buy the parts even if you're going to do it yourself.

If you think that you might want to regularly track the car, then double everything (expect 5,000 miles per set of tires).

A good recommendation is to keep $1,500 in reserve for repairs per year. If you spend less, consider yourself lucky.

With all of that being said, you'll also get one of the most satisfying cars in the world to drive and you'll have a smile on your face everytime you get behind the wheel.